Meet Dan Pulzello before he brings his tour show to Zurich in May

Dan Pulzello brings his Solo show to Zurich on the 29th May

How did you get into stand-up comedy?

I always loved comedy growing up but the thing that kicked me into gear was breaking up with my long distance girlfriend when I was 23. My first thought was “this breakup is really going to hurt, I need to find something to do with my time.” Around the same time my mom’s friend sent me the link to sign up for an open mic in NYC and it blew my mind that anyone could sign up and perform comedy. I signed up and invited 20 of my friends and family to watch me perform 4 minutes. That was in August 2016

Where do you get your inspiration for your show material?

My wife is my biggest source on inspiration. We talk constantly and any time I think of something funny I run it by her. There are situations that we've had together that have made it word for word into my act.

How do you deal with hecklers or a tough audience?

I try to engage with hecklers as little as possible. If they're truly malicious and disruptive then you can get away with matching their energy and try to silence them with something funny and quick but it's super important to make sure the rest of the audience is on your side before you go for the takedown.

What is the funniest or most memorable moment you've had on stage?

There was one show I had in Tampa, Florida. It was my fourth show of the weekend so I was fully loopy with sleep deprivation. I went totally off script for most of the set and it felt like the audience was in the exact same headspace and it felt like we were all at a sleepover. I don't remember anything that I said but I'll always remember the feeling of being fully in sync with a group of strangers in a city that I learned has the most strip clubs per capita in the US. Maybe that is my target demographic.

What's been the highlight of your career as a stand-up comedian so far?

Any time I travel internationally and people buy tickets to see me it's surreal. It's been happening for a few years now but it's still so special for me to talk to fans after a show. I can't wrap my head around it even now, that people would leave their house, sometimes pay for a baby sitter, just to hear me tell jokes.

Do you already have an impression of Switzerland and the Swiss, if so what is it?

I truly don't know anything outside of the usual stereotypes, which are mostly positive. I'm a big fan of your mountains and anonymous banking institutions.